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A Rant on Late Night, Biggest Loser, Iverson as an All-Star, and more; AFC/NFC Championship Game Picks

I've been a bit morose since last week's picks went down the hopper faster than Conan O'Brien on The Tonight Show. So, it's time for a rant session followed by picks on the NFL Conference Finals, which should promptly be ignored: • If people are actually gathering into groups to protest Conan O'Brien's "firing," we can all stop wondering how brainless society will get - we've hit rock bottom. The fact that we care about the movements of anybody dubbed a celebrity is bad enough. But we're so devoid of meaning in our lives that we're now protesting in support of millionaires because they weren't good enough to keep their job. This is what happens when the soccer mom "no one ever fails no matter what" mentality combines with the American Idol craze of caring about anyone that ever graces the television screen. • Stupidity aside, isn't it ironic that O'Brien finally became funny after he knew he was getting the boot? (By

NFL Playoff Round Picks

Time to lick those wounds Eagles fans. Believe it or not, there is more football left to watch this season. Start the process of getting over the Eagles by checking out each week's lines straight through to the Super Bowl Odds . Last week was basically a wash with a split. Since Week 10 I'm at 71.17 points from 100, with a win/loss record of 26-29 in the NFL. But I hit the last two Bowl games, so I'm on a bit of a roll. I know people like to load up on the Super Bowl, but I actually think this is the week to do it. Here's my picks for the playoff round: Dallas +120 (money line) over Minnesota (50pts./60) Parlay New Orleans -7 and San Diego -7 (21.17pts/59.52) The Baltimore / Indianapolis game could go either way. I think Baltimore wins outright and will at least cover the spread, but two consecutive playoff wins on the road is too much for me to pick.

ESPN Analysts Continue to be Clueless on McNabb

Normally the guys on ESPN aren't worth mentioning. But I've now heard not 1, not 2, but 3 so-called football analysts from ESPN's moronic NFL Countdown on local radio rip Eagles fans for criticizing Donovan McNabb. I realize the show and the network have lost all credibility, but hearing three of these idiots in a fairly short timeframe from late last week through Monday say the same dumb thing gets annoying. Cris Carter started off with his bluster calling Mike Missanelli a fan because he questioned McNabb. To translate, which is often necessary to decipher his points which are wedged in through his self-adulation and "brother-in-lawing," Carter was attempting to suggest Missanelli wasn't being analytical enough. Rather ironic for a guy that goes on TV every week and spits out bullet points handed to him by a producer and thinks that if he says them loudly enough he'll sound authoritative. He doesn't. Then the Keyshawn Johnson, now completely over-ra

Eagles Insanity Continues

Two days after the Eagles season ended the way every other season in the Andy Reid era has ended -- with a loss and an assurance that Donovan McNabb will be back at quarterback next season -- I still can't come up with anything approaching outrage. The state of the "gold standard" franchise has literally become laughable. McNabb once again proved he is simply incapable of handling a big game. From his ridiculous air guitar antics on the way out of the tunnel once he noticed the camera was on him, to a second straight week in which he couldn't put a point on the board during the meaningful portion of the game, the man is just not a championship quarterback. None of that is news, of course. Neither is the fact that Reid is completely incapable of making adjustments during a game. But apparently six days isn't enough time for Reid to make any adjustments either. Getting destroyed by 24 and 20 points in back-to-back weeks by the Dallas Cowboys - once for the division

Wild Card Weekend NFL Playoff Picks

After some mediocre weeks in the NFL and a college bowl season with a 5-5 record but two big Ws to finish with +35.46 points in bowls, I took stock. Since Week 10 I'm at 72.60 points from 100, with a win/loss record of 25-28 in the NFL and 9-16 in college. Just remember, Hammerin' Hank on ESPN hovered around .500 all season. It's playoff time, and I'm taking the two late games each day: Dallas -4 over the Eagles (30/28.57): I hate picking this way, but I just don't see Donovan McNabb going to Big "D" and winning a game six days after getting shutout. Green Bay 0 over Arizona (30/28.57): The "experts" say that the Packers defense has been incredible since it got healthy and Aaron Rodgers is rolling. I also like the Patriots -3 and the Bengals -2.5 but not enough to pick them.

Hypocrisy of Keeping Sports Betting Illegal Seen in PA Allowing Table Games

Let's get this straight: I can now legally bet on a hand of Blackjack in Pennsylvania, but betting on a football game is still illegal. This is because somehow the NFL would be easier for me to corrupt than the dealer across the table from me making maybe $30 per hour? Or is it the puritanical BS that still thrives in this country, which says gambling will ruin my life? But apparently it's ok if I ruin my life losing $100 in 20 minutes at the table as opposed to losing it over the course of 3 hours. The hypocrisy that surrounds this issue only became a little more staggering with the legislation of table games like blackjack in Pennsylvania. The cover politicians afford themselves on this issue has become boring at best as they prattle on about pork spending in bills legalizing something that should never have been illegal in the first place. As the worst economy in my lifetime shows no tangible signs of improving -- in fact, I'd like to thank the appropriate people for the

Debacle in Dallas

I was almost excited about today's Eagles game against the Cowboys. Into my fourth decade of hating the Cowboys, it was difficult to completely ignore a Birds' game in Big D for the NFC East crown and the second seed in the playoffs. Unfortunately, it seemed quite easy for the Eagles to ignore, as they were thumped 24-0. For their troubles, or lack thereof, the Eagles get to do it all over again Saturday night. If (when?) the Eagles finish this season with two straight losses in Dallas, I will hope and pray that Jeff Lurie takes Andy Reid at his word that it's all his fault. Actually, I won't pray because I hope God has better things to worry about. I won't really hope either, because Lurie does what he does, which is to say value stability and the fantasy of being the gold standard of the NFL. But once all of the specifics of this game are dispensed with, the fact is that this team came into what was the biggest game of the season on a 6-game winning streak (if my

Week 17 Picks

One last day of trying to figure out who wants to play and who does not. It's a harder formula then I thought for the college bowls. Let's hope the Pennsylvania teams come to play today. Here's my picks: Philadelphia +130 (money line) over Dallas (5/6.50) Pittsburgh -3 over Miami (5/4.17)

College Football Bowl Picks for the 2009 Season

As College Football Bowl Season kicks into gear, I'll be posting my picks in this post through to the BCS title game. I won't be picking every game, just those I'm delusional enough to think I have a feel on. For the record, I was a putrid 3-13 in college picks this year, so picking against me may be brilliant strategy. The date of this post may change as I go along to keep the latest post on the blog at the top, but I'm guessing my record will make it clear each pick will certainly be posted prior to kickoff. Feel free to play along in the comments section. 12/19: Rutgers -3 (5pts. to win 4.76; if you're new to the blog, I started weighting picks since Week 10 of the NFL season, and I'm at -24.88 since week 10 from 100 for 75.12 points. See yesterday's post for Week 15 picks.) 12/22: OrSt -2.5 (10/9.09) 12/26: Pitt -1.5 (5/4.76) 12/28: UCLA -4.5 (5/4.76) New Year's Day Bowls 1/1/2010: LSU -1 (5/4.76) WVU -3 (5/4.76) Ore -4.5 (5/4.76) CincinnatiU +13 (5/